Improvement in running-gear of vehicles



No. 35,745. I `PATENTED JULY l, 1862. D. G. BROWN. RUNNING GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

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D. C. BBOVN. OFl NEW YORK, N.' Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN RUNNING-GEAR oF VEHICLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent Nh. 33,7115, vdated J ulyl, 1.862.

view, ad Fig. 3 a vertical section through theline a: x-of Fig. l.

The nature of my invention consists in dividing the reach and so connecting it that, in

connection with a box sliding thereon, the rear and forward wheels maybe turned isi-multa.- neousl'y when the said box is in one position, and when in another that the said reach may be made rigid and the forward wheels and .tongue left free to adapt themselves to the nIotion of the team.

Myobject is to produce a running-gear which shall admit of turning short curves and the employment of large forward wheels.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention@ will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

' The reach is divided into two parts, A and B, the contiguous ends of which are connected together, so as to form a flexible joint, in the manner now to be explained. Theforward end of the section of reach A is mortised hori.

zontally, as see-n at a, Fig. 3, to receive the tenon b, cut on the rear end ofthe section of reach B, the said tenon having a vertical inortise, c, through which and the forks e e of the mort-isc a passes the pin d. Between the hounds and the rear braces,-and encircling the divided reach A B, is the sliding box IC, provided on its forward end with a linger, D, and having attached to its upper side the operating-lever E. v The under' side of the section of reach B is grooved or channeled' longitudina1ly,as seen at f, Figs. l and 3, and the crossbrace F of the hounds is correspondingly grooved or channeled transversely, as repre.- sented at g.

Theoperation ofthe devices thus described is as follows: Supposin'g the sliding boxto be in the position represented in Figs. l and 3. The-joint inthe reach is then rigid and the" vehicle is not'unlike'others, thetongue Hand forward axle being left free to accommodate themselves to thetraveling motion of the team; but suppose it tobe desirable to turn the vehicie, or to avoid' anobstacle in the road, the

:driver then places his hand or foot on the opjeratin glever E, which may project up through the bottom of 'the body of the vehicle, ,and moves forward the sliding box-0 until its front. end cornes incontact with the cross brace F of the hounds, as represented in red lines in Fig. 1 In this position the flexible joint is uncovered or released and the finger 'D has en-4 .tered the transverse groove. g, which,iz i connection withf the longitudinal groove f, locks .the hounds to ,section B of the reachand forces them both to followV the motion of the tongue H. It is obviousfrom this thatin turni-ng the rear wheels must follow the path marked'out by the forward wheels, as represented` by the l, curved'red line in Fig.f25 tliatthe-vehilgzmay be turned in a much closer space thanis usual, both sets of wheels turning inan equal,

degree; that because of this large 'forward wheels may be used, which isa desirableobject, as it facilitates the draft, and that the avoidance of an obstacle is attendedA with but little diliculty, as if thev forward wheels escape it the rear wheels must necessarily do likewise.

Having thus described 'my invention and pointed out the manner in which it operates, what l claim therein, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is-.

1. The iexible joint'between the sectional nreaches A and. B, in combination with- 'the sliding box C, substantially as and for the pur= pose described. I

2. The finger D Aon the sliding box C, in

-combination with grooves or channelsfand g, 

